Concealment device



Aug. 17, 1943. w. H. BUCKNELL CONCEALMENT DEvicE 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed Feb. 7, 1941 INVENTOR l'f/ll/flflm Harlan Bvc/(mel/ ATTORNEYS Aug. 17, 1943. w. H. BUCKNELL 2,327,158

CONCEALMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lN VENTOR M/l/iam Har/an Buckner ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 17, 1943 signorof one-half to Anita. R;

v Nor-walk, G'onn.

Buclmoll,

Application February 7, 1941, ssnai N0. 371,783 15 Claims. (01119-) This inventioirrel'ates to a. concealment device."

It'is anobject or the invention to provide a.

concealment device whichisparticularly adapted for use in. water, but which also may be used efiectlve'lymn land. I

Another object of the invention is to providea concealment device. which wil keep the 0ccu pant dry even in. rough water and at the same time will present 'aminiminn area exposed above the water surface.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a concealment'device which is adaptable for use in. water of divers depths.

Other objectso'f the invention are to provide a device which may beleconomicalh; manufactured', which may be' readily carriedfrom place topl'ace on; land or easily'moved in water, and which is 'particularlyeifective as a concealment l v, .v

"Another object orthe invention is to provide a concealment'device, particularly adapted for use in watenand which isiespecially stable and safe and at'the same time presents aminimum area exposed above the surface-of. the water.

A feature of the invention, therefore, resides Y in the provision ofa concealment device with a flexible and collapsible main body in which a hunter or other individual requiring concealmentmay locate himself, the main body being adapted toalone support the hunter and his equipment in water with only a relatively small area of the body exposed above the water surface, and the main body having associated with the upper portion thereof an encircling water-excluding section of flexible material carried by a float and concealing means which is adapted to rise and fall with uneven water at the surface independently of the main body. 7,

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a concealment device of the above character, including special means serving together with the main body, float means and flexible section, to most effectively camouflage and conceal .an individual ii -the device.

Other objects and features will hereinafter appear. 7 r

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view taken on the line Of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken. on the line 22 of Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 isa top view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. r

Fig. 4 is a View showing the device in collapsed.

position. 4 t

Fig. 5:- is a detail-view of, the spray and. concealing-hood, I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary. sectional detailviewof a portion of the device asshownin Fig,.l

.Eigs; 7 ,8,- 9, 10; 11 and 12 are-views il1ustrat-.

ingthe device: in: actual; use;

Before describing the. present improvements. andmode of operation thereof in detail. it should. Ice-understood that the invention. is not limited to. thead-etails. of construction and arrangement of parts-shown in. the accompanying drawings,

which. aremerelyillustrative oi the present pre ferred embodiments, sincatheinvention. is capabla or otoor embodiments, and the phraseologyemployed iafor the purpose of description andnot-oi limitatiomv Referring more particuiarlyto. the drawings,

' therois-shown adevice-2G involving. an; especially advantageous embodiment of the present invention, includinga collapsible body 2!, especially adapted to. receive a. huntcror other individual requiring concealment, and comprisinga seating section- 22 and a connected leg-receiving section 23., the. latter section preferably QQmprislng, a pair of leg-receiving extensions, 24, and 25, facilitating movcment oithe hunter on land or in water.

Asshown the. body 2 l, which isbaglike ingeneral' COnSfil'llQtlOn,, is advantageously formed of a suitable flexible waterproof material, as rubberized; fabric or waterproofed canvasl The seating section 22 thereof. includes side Walls 26 that" extend upwardly from a bottom or seat portion 21] which may be and'preferably is formed of the same flexible. material as the side walls, but which may ba formed of rigid material. The pair of leg receiving extensions 2 and 25, preferably and as illustrated depend from a pair of openings 28 disposed forwardly in the seat por tion 21. With this construction, it'is thus seen that provision is made for an occupant, see Figs.

10 and 11, for example, to sit in a natural position and at the same time bend forward in the seating section 22 of the baglike body.

To maintain the flexible sidewalls 26 of the seating-section against lateral collapsing, and to control the displacement thereof when in water, spreader means such a the rings, 29 and 30 are provided at the normally open upper portion of the seating section and to encircle the lower portion of the seating section adjacent the bottom 21. Suitable loops 3! and 32 maybe sewed or otherwise secured to the side walls of the seating section to locate the ring 29 and 30 and maintain the same in position. A supplemental spreader means, such as the ring 33, also preferably is provided to encircle the pair of openings 28 and thu reinforce and support the adjacent portions of the bottom. A in the case of the rings 29 and 30, suitable loops 34 sewed or otherwisesecured to the baglike' body 2| may be utilized to locate the spreader ring 33. Of particular importance the baglike body 2| is so designed that when in a distended or noncollapsed condition, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the seat- 7 ing section 22 will displace only slightly more than sufficient water to support the weight of an consideration of course must be given to the dis-- placement of the leg-receiving extensions 24 and 25, which are of sufficient length and circumference to allow freedom of movement when either walking or sitting, as well as to the displacement of the seating section 22. However, because preferably and as shown, no spreaders are provided in the leg-receiving extensions, the flexible maequipment therein even though the body be filled terial thereof, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 for example, will be forced inwardly by the pressure of the surrounding water and thus, when the occupant is in a sitting position, cause the extensions to d splace only slightly more water than would the lowerportions of the occupants legs. Hence, in practice the bouyancy of the leg-receiving section 23 of the body 2| is reducedto-aminimum."

Also of importance, there is provided an extensible section of flexible waterproof material, at one end encircling and connected to the upper portionof the seating section of the baglike body 2|, and at the other end connected to a float means 36 which preferably and as shown is in the form of a hollow ring or annulus 31 which if of rubber or the like may be inflated through any suitable and conventional valve as, for example, used with an ordinary inner tube for vehicle tires.

With this construction and as shown in Figs. 1, 2, audit), for example, the upper portionof the body 2! is below the top of the float annulus and the flexible encircling section 35 normallyis in a nonextended or collapsed condition, thus,

ermitting the float annulus 31 to rock and move independently of the baglike body to an appreciable extent. This fact, as will be presently ex-.

advantageously the float annulus, as a measure of stability, and safety, may be and preferably is so pro-porticnedthat it is capable of supporting not only the'jfiexible extension but also the entire baglike-body with an occupant and his or substantially filled with water.

To prevent adverse lateral movement of the fie-at annulus 31 relative to the seating section of the body 2|, while at the same time permitting appreciable free rising andfalling of the annulus, there may be and preferably are provided ribs or struts 38 conveniently held removably in place; by loops 39 on the side walls of the seating section 22 and extending upwardly therefrom within the float annulus a most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In actual use, and in part because individuals of various weights and using equipment of various weights may employ the device 20, there is provided as a feature of the invention, means by which .the total weight supported by the body 26 may be adjusted. Thus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a means, as the cord 40, secured to and adapted to extend downwardly from holding rings ii adjacent the bottom 2120f the seating section 22, may be provided for detachably supporting a weight d2 between. the leg-receiving. extensions 24 and 25.

the weight 42 is permitted bya conventional wedge holding collar vor tube. 43 intowhichthe ends of the cord may be inserted. .Also, suitable means, such as the rings llav may be provided for detachably supporting weights 45 from the lower extremities of each of the leg-receiving extensions 24 and 25.. The size or poundage and the number of the weights 42 and 45, it will be appreciated, will be determined by the displace merit of the body 2| and the weight of the regular load to be supported by the latter. By adjusting the weights 42 and and/or by eliminating the weightv 42 or the weight 45, the body of the device may be caused to set down in the advantageously low position in the water as shown venting any tendency of the device to capsize due to the lift of the water displaced thereby, espe-' cially in rough water or when the weight of the individual in-the device is shifted as, for example,when shooting a gun.

Cooperating with the weights in stabilizing the device is the float means 36 which is con nected to the body 2 in such'a way that it may move independently of and rock relative to the latter to an appreciate extent. Thus, should the individual in the device shift his weight, the float means resists any tendency of the device to overturn. Moreover, of special importance and as illustrated in Fig. 11, in rough water the float means will rise and fall in a rocking fashion freely with the waves, as there is no rigid connection to the body, and carry with it the flexible section 35 which will prevent water from flowing over the upper p'ortion of the almost entirely submerged body 2| of the device. 2

The importance of the foregoing structural features is readily understandable, especially when it is borne in mind that they result in the provision of a device which presents a minimum area. exposed above the surface of -the water where it can be seen by birds or people from the air or from locations on the water or on the land, and which at the sametime may be kept dry inside and is safe against total submersion Adjustment of the eifectiv length of the cord it-to control the vertical positionof such as might otherwise becausedby the cancompletely or substantially completely concealed thereby. Preferably, and as shown in'the drawings, to render the device particularly effective as a concealing means, there is provided a spray and concealing hood 46, see Figs. 5, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, which, as by separable fasteners 47 on the continuing portion of the flexible section 35 on the float annulus 31, and cooperating separable fasteners 48 on the'rear portion of thespray hood, maybe connected to the body of the device. Thus, when the spray hood '46 has been attached to the back of the occupant, as by straps 49 and respectively adapted to pass overthe shoulders and under the armsof the occupant and be tied or otherwise secured together'in front, he may bend forward, see Figs 10, to not only be substantially entirely concealed from the wholeto be readily propelled, as by a paddle, from place to place in deep water is shown.

In Fig.7, the'ease with which an'ocoupant may move from place to place on land or in very shallow water is illustrated, with straps 51, which may pass'over the occupants shoulders and be secured to suitable cleats 58 or the like at the forward and rear portions of the float annulus 31, serving to maintain the device in distended or noncollapsed condition;

In Fig. 8 the adaptability of the device for concealmentpurposes on land is illustrated, the annulus 3'! serving as a cushion aswell as a concealment element when the occupant is in a reclining position, and the upper spreader ring 23 and the annulus S'Iserving as a means for main taining the upper portion of the device, espeair but also to exclude from the interior of the terior of the baglike body 2| and of the extensible section including the annulus-covering continuing portion of the latter, may be colored or' otherwise marked to simulate or blend with the surrounding area be it land or water.

- In Figs. '7 through 12, the adaptability of the device 20 to various conditions of 'use,-is illustrated. Thus in Figs. 10 and 11 the device is shown in use in deep water, in Fig. 11 the device having attached thereto a suitable anchor 53 by a line 54 secured at its upper end to a pair of holding rings 55 connected in any conventional manner at spaced points to the rear side .of the baglike body. Also, in Fig. 11, the 'action'of the float means 35 and the extensible section 35 in" rising with a wave independently of the body 2| is illustrated. In Fig. lO-the substantially total concealment of the hunter, when he bends forward, is clearly'shown. In the latter Fig. 10,

as in Fig. 11, it is apparent that the body 2|, the

float annulus 36, the spray and-'concealmenthood 46, the head and neck covering hood 5| and the decoy 52, all serve together to conceal and camouflage the hunter or other: occupant using the device. Moreover, the uncramped and natural positions which maybe assumed by a person us ing the device are shown by the illustrative fig ures in the drawings.

In Fig. 9, the adaptability of the device for use in relatively shallow wateris illustrated.

Thereit will be noted that'the weights on the lower portions of the leg-receiving extensions 24 and 25, may be secured thereto and to the feet of the occupant, as by straps passing through apertures in the weights, in such a way that the weights do not swing freely as in Figs. 10 and ll. When used in shallow Water, the weights 45 serve as anchors so that when the occupant sits down in the concealment device 20 the latter is completely ready for use and will not drift to some other location;- i

In Fig. 12, the adaptabilityof the device as a cially the forward side thereof, in an up or eifec-' tive concealing position when the occupant reclines therein. Moreover; if the shoulder straps 51- are used, a further means is provided for keeping the device as a whole in a most effective concealing relationship with respect to the occupant,

While in the foregoing description the device has been considered in its distended or substantially distended and operative conditions, one of the advantages of the device is theease with which the same may be collapsed to the condition showed in Fig. 4, where it occupies a minimum of space when not in use and may be easily handled. Because of the flexible nature of the material constituting both the seating and legreceiving sections of the body, the collapsing operation is obvious and substantially automatic. For example, assuming the device to be supported by shoulder straps on a man as shown in device, a manneed merely'step into the same in its collapsed condition and pull it up to the position shown in Fig. 7. V

I From the foregoing it is readily apparent that the present invention provides a device which permits free movement of the occupant either in shooting position or when paddling, is safe and mobile in water, and is admirably adapted lizing: the duck decoy 52 on the head-covering hood and by assuming the position shown inFig. 10 and turning his head, may create an illusion of a duck swimming on the surface of the water, especially if viewed from the air. Also, shellholding pockets 53 may be provided with the body 20. However, while @126 device is particm "spreader means in said seating section; a' flexible nected to theupper portion'of said body for rocking movement relative thereto; flexible waterexcluding means intermediate said float ring and ed to extend below said float means to alone support an occupant and his equipment inwater, whereby said float means and the flexible waterexcluding means are adapted to rockingly rise and fall'with waves at the water surface independently of said body when the latter is supporting an ocupant in the water.

2. A concealment device of the character de scribed, including in combination, a collapsible body havin a seating section with side wallsand a bottom seat, and having a pair of leg-receiving extensions depending therefrom forwardly of said bottom seat; spreader means adjacent the upper portion of said body; float means disposed around said body and rockable relative thereto;v

extensible water-excluding means carried by said float means and encircling and connected to'the upper portion of said body, said body being adapted to alone support an occupant and his equipment in water with the upper portion of the body substantially level with the water surface.

3. A concealment device of the character described, including in combination, a baglike body of flexible material having a seating section with side walls and having a depending leg-receiving section, said body being designed'to alone support an occupant and his equipment in water; spreader means adjacent the upper and lower portions of said seatingsection; a water-excluding section of flexible material encircling the upper portion of said seating section; float means for said water-excluding section, rockablerelative to said body; and weight means on said body. cooperable with said float means and said water-excluding means in stabilizing said body.

4. A concealment device of the character described, including in combination, a baglike body of flexible material having a seating section with side walls and a bottom seat, and having a pair of leg-receiving extensions depending forwardly of said bottom seat; means for maintaining said body against lateral collapsing, being designed to alone support an occupant and hisequipment in water; float means rockable relative to said body; flexible water-excluding means connecting and enabling a spacing of said" body and said float means; concealing andspray hood means connected to the upper portion of said body rearwardly of said leg-receiving means;

and means on said hood means for securing the same to the occupant.

5. A device of the character describe ing in combination, a body; float means dispose about and rockable relative to said body; and a flexible waterproof section encircling, extending from and connected to said body and connected to said float means, said body extending down- Wardly from said flexible section and being adapted to support an'occupant and his equipment in water independently of said float means, whereby said float means is adapted to rockably raise and lower said flexible section with uneven Water at the surface independently of said body.

6. A device of the character described, in-

cluding in combination, a body of flexible waterproof material; spreader means associated with said body; and a float ring encircling and consaid body.

includthe upper portion of said'body and providing the connection between the latter and said float ring, said body being designed to support an occupant and-his equipment in water independently of said float ring with said upper portion substantially level with the surface of the water, whereby an occupantmay conceal himself in said body-receiving portion which is substantially, submerged, and behind said float ring.

'7. A-device of the character described, including in combination, a body of flexible material; spreader means associated with said body; float means connected to the upper portion of said body'for rocking movement relative thereto; flexible water-excluding means intermediate said float means and the upper portion of said body and providing the connection between the latter and said float means, said body being designed to support an occupant and his equipment in water independently of said floatmeans; and hood means adapted to be secured to the back of the occupant, and with said float means substantially entirely conceal the occupant in the body which is substantially submerged, when the occup nt bends forward. I

8. A device of the character described, including in combination, a collapsible body; float means rockable relative to said body; and means intermediate said float means and the upper portion of said body and encircling'the latter, connected to said body and said float means and adaptedto enable a spacing of the float means and body all of the way around the latter, designed to exclude water from said body and to permit rocking movement of said float means independently of said.body.- I

9. A device of the character described, including in combination, a baglikebody of flexible material; float means rockable relative to said body; means intermediate said float means and the upper portion of said body and encircling the latter, connected to said body and said float means and adapted to enable a spacing of the float means and body all of the way around the latter, and designed to exclude water from said body and to permit rocking upward and downward movement of said float means with the surface of the water independently of said body; and means for limiting lateral movement of said float means relativeto said body-receiving portion. r

.19. A device of thecharacter described, including in combination, a. baglike body having a sea-tin section and a leg-receiving section, said body being formed of flexible material; float means rockablerelative to said body; and flexible water-excluding means carried by said float means and connected to said body enabling a rocking movement of the latter independently of said body, said body being adapted to support an occupant in water independently of said float means. 7

11. A concealment device of the character described, including a body of flexible material having a seating section with sidewalls, and having a pair of leg-receiving extensions depending therefrom; spreader means for said side walls; float means; flexible water-excluding means providing the only connection between the upper portion of said body and said float means, said body being adapted to support an occupant-in water independently of said float 12. A concealment device of the character described, includinga body of flexible material having a seating section with side walls, and having a pair of leg-receiving extensions; spreader means for said side walls; float means disposed around the upper portion of said body and rockable relative thereto; asection of, flexible material providing the only connection between the upper portion of said body with said float means, permitting upward and downward movement of said float means independently of said body; and attaching means connected to said body and adapted to be associated in supported relation with respect to an individual using the device, for attaching said device to said individual.

13. A concealment device of the character described, including a body of flexible material having a seating section with side walls, and having a pair of leg-receiving extensionspfloat means disposed around the upper portion of said body and rockable relative thereto; a section of flexible materialrconnecting the upperf portion of said body with said float means, permitting a V rocking upward and downward movement of said float means independently of said body; a spray and concealing hood adapted to cover the back 'of an occupant of the device; detachable means and conceal an individual in said body.

14. A concealment device of the character dc scribed, including a body having a seating section with collapsible side walls and having a pair of leg-receiving extensions of flexible material; spreader means for maintaining said side walls against lateral collapsing; float means disposed around the upper portion of said body; a section of flexible material'encircling the upper portion of said body, providing the only connection between the latter and said float means, permitting 'rocking upward and downward movement of said float means and said flexible section indepen dently of said body; and weight means associated with the lower portions of said leg-receiving exaround the upper portion of said body and rockable relative thereto; a section of flexible material encircling theupper portion of said body and connected to said ,float means, permitting rocking upward and downward movement of said float means and said flexible section indepen--' dently of said body; and weight means secured to the lower portion of said seating section, cooperable with said float meansv and said section of flexible material in stabilizing said body, said body being adapted to support an ocupant in water independently of said float means.

, wnmM HARLAN BUCKNELL. 

